Dear Stuyvesant, Let’s Talk About Politics
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Dear Stuyvesant,
Let’s be direct—there are mixed feelings in the Stuyvesant community right now as a result of the 2024 election. Many of us are probably surprised by the results. President-Elect Donald Trump, as the figurehead of the Republican Party, won the presidency with a sweeping victory, including winning all seven battleground states. It was “the greatest political comeback in history,” according to J.D. Vance and hundreds of news outlets around the world. The party also proceeded to win control of the Senate and already controls the Supreme Court due to Trump’s first-term appointments. Following projections from the AP, the Republican Party is also set to control the House of Representatives, with a few races awaiting their final vote tallies. For some, this may have been the result they were hoping for. But for a vast majority of our school, we fear the next four years will bring a period of anxiety and hopelessness, and we will see a fundamental change in American democracy.
It’s undeniable that Trump has promised some terrible things—some that drive uneasiness into the hearts and minds of many of our students. He’s sworn to deport upwards of 11 million undocumented immigrants and broadly expand bans on taking in refugees from certain countries or areas. This includes a proposed ban on all Gazan refugees. Trump also intends to abolish the federal Department of Education. He claims this policy is an effort to give power over education back to the states, despite the fact it doesn’t directly remove any educational mandates currently placed on the states. Trump has also threatened political retaliation against a wide variety of critics from the Democratic Party, such as President Joe Biden, Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and prosecutors of his criminal cases. Now that he has presidential power, it’s incredibly unclear what form, if any, his political retribution will take. It’s also profoundly unclear how much of Project 2025 he plans to implement. However, if any of its ideas seep into government policy, our nation could experience horrifying damage in the long run.
However, it is important to acknowledge that there are extremely powerful forces that are already mobilizing to oppose Trump’s policies and continue the fight for those Americans who did not vote for Trump. California governor Gavin Newsom has already called a special session to “Trump-proof California” and safeguard the state’s fairly liberal policies from a Trump presidency, primarily by providing more resources to the state’s Attorney Office to litigate against any federal government attempts to modify said liberal policies. New York governor Kathy Hochul has promised to do the same, proposing the creation of an “Empire State Freedom Initiative” to protect rights that Trump may threaten. A growing moderate sentiment also makes it possible that many Republican legislators will balk at more extreme policies such as mass deportations or civil liberties crackdowns, and only a couple votes against these policies are required to block them. Furthermore, in seven out of the 10 states where abortion came up as a ballot issue, protections on the right to an abortion were either expanded, or further restrictions were blocked. Even in red states, the right to an abortion is fairly popular, and the Trump administration seems to have dropped the idea of a full ban. In a few years, many of us will attend colleges located in red-state schools. Despite the difference between our New York freedoms and those in states such as Georgia or Texas, local governments around the country are working to protect against the extremist values that Trump proposes. Though these measures are relatively small, they are meaningful steps in the right direction.
Times may appear bleak, but we cannot give into this feeling of hopelessness. If we do so, we give up the possibility of combating the threat Trump poses and our chance to create a better tomorrow. As Vice President Kamala Harris said in her concession speech, “Do not despair. This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize, and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”
You have the power to build the political future you imagine. Look out for and support your friends; make sure they’re doing okay. Volunteer and organize with advocacy groups who care about the issues that you care about, such as Planned Parenthood for reproductive freedom or GLSEN for LGBTQ+ rights. Join protests and make sure your voice is heard. Register to vote, so when you are eligible to vote in the 2026 or 2028 election, you can vote for someone who reflects what you believe in and what you think is right. Most importantly, take this opportunity to listen to the perspectives of the American electorate and the future electorate around you, whether you agree with them or not.
As young people, we define the future, and we must do better than the people of the past. Let this election not be the end of the fight—let it be a renewed beginning.
Sincerely, The Stuyvesant Spectator Editorial Board
If you have struggled with your mental health in the days following the election, you are not alone. There are people out there who want to help you.
To reach a volunteer crisis counselor to talk about election-related mental health, text “ELECTION” to 741741.
For students of color, text “STEVE” to connect to a counselor of color.
The Crisis Text Line also has resources on how to cope with post-election anxiety and mental health struggles on their website.
For LGBTQ+ students wanting to reach a counselor, call (866)-488-7386, or text “START” to 678678.
The NYC Teenspace program will connect students ages 13-17 to a licensed therapist whom you can text five days a week, and it includes complete, independent mental health exercises for free.
As always, the guidance office’s doors are open for any student who needs or wants to talk.